New Zealand lies deep in the South Pacific - south of the sub-tropics, and south east of Australia, separated by the Tasman Sea. Its three main islands have a north-south span of 1500 kilometres, with less than a 290 kilometre span east west at the broadest point.

Surrounded by sea, New Zealand has a temperate, maritime climate that gives rise to wines with well-defined varietal flavours. It has cooler summers and milder winters than those generally experienced in Europe.

Three critical factors influence climate:

The latitude - spread between 34S and 47S - is within the temperate zone.

The ocean - hot air masses from Australia and freezing winds from Antartica are significantly modified by the ocean mass giving New Zealand moderate temperatures.

The topography - mountain ranges run north/south the length of the country and directly affect rainfall. The East Coast is significantly drier than the West, the North is warmer than the South. Rivers run from these central mountain ranges to the sea and over time, old riverbeds have provided the basis for free-draining vineyard sites. 

New Zealand Wine Industry - New Zealand has 643 wineries, with over 31,057 hectares in vines.